"Trick or Treat"

Its that time of year again when visitors come to your door, expecting a treat when you open your door. I remember making the same journey when I was young.  I also remember a poem children recited at school on the days leading up to Halloween.

"Trick or Treat,
Smell my feet
Give me something good to eat!"

In some areas of this country, the tradition still goes strong but did you ever wonder why children state "Trick or Treat" when you open the door?

It appears the phrase is American in origin but stems from the European holiday of All Saints Day also known as All Hallows Day celebrated on November 1st, and All Souls day on November 2nd  while October 31st is All Hallows Eve which has morphed into Halloween in modern times.

There is a tradition in Europe dating from the 10th century where people went from house to house on All Souls day asking for gifts of food in return for praying for the souls of those who passed on.  We know it was practiced in the 14th century because it is mentioned in Chaucer's writings.

Over time, it evolved so only children went from house to house asking for gifts while disguised.  Originally it was called "souling" but in Scotland, they referred to it as "guising".  Children would recite poems, tell jokes, provide some other small entertainment before being rewarded with treats.

Now candy is expected without children providing entertainment to earn the treat.  The first recorded reference to "Trick or Treating" appears in the November 3rd issue of the  Calgary Herald.  The newspaper made comment about the young who went from door to door demanding treats.  The following day, the article commented about the young who moved things around when they didn't get their treat.

The newspaper records indicate that the new tradition of "Trick or Treating" spread across the United States from the east coast to the west coast in the 1930's.  There are comments about the young ones who would offer to protect houses from window soaping and other tricks for a small treat of candy.  In Nevada, these enterprising children were compared to the Mafia.

There are reports of bags of Halloween candy being sold in Montana in the 1930's but the same newspaper commented that many locals refused to be blackmailed into providing "protection" candy and instead shot buckshot at them for trying to soap the windows.

Eventually, it gained enough popularity that stores sell candy by the ton and children come around to collect their candy on October 31st.  Here where I live, children come through only between 4 and 7 PM.  Usually parents carrying babies armed with bags bring the whole family through to load up on delights.

No, we don't have to worry about children getting hurt out here by crazies due to it being rather isolated and the police know every family and person here.

Have a great Halloween on Wednesday night, I'd love to hear what you think.